Day 3 finds the posse at Pyng Ho. The food was even better than my last visit, lots of flavour and TLC given to us from Steve. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that it was a Riesling-dominated event, but there were a number of surprises and other wines as well.
2005 Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs
We started with this generous bring from Randy. Nice toasted bread with fresh-cut hay and light apple. Very, very tasty—a lot of apple with pink grapefruit. Fine crispness, an overall very attractive champers.
2001 Stag’s Leap Napa Riesling
That’s not a misprint! What a delightful curiosity. Very light petrol accent to lightly oaked florals. Interesting almost tropical side, but everything’s gentle. Quaffable and a fun surprise.
2004 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling
Sweet ginger undertone to melon and apricot. A dry-ish example with lime and grapefruit tang and some unripe nectarine. Has the requisite classiness of this cuvee.
2001 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett
Steely nose, lemongrass and lemon balm in the bouquet. This is suave, yet with a very certain power underneath. Extremely classic German with controlled apple and diesel sidebar, this probably ends up my #3 tonight.
2016 Liquid Farms Rose
Snapped this up in a store earlier in the day and as always happy with the result. This is all mourvedre from the Vogelzang vineyard. Raspberry and unripe watermelon scents are present. It is properly snappy dans la bouche with plenty of rhubarb and berry and vivacious carry. Made lots of fans.
1992 Domaine Weinbach Cuvee St. Catherine Clos des Capucins Schlossberg Riesling
wonderful baking spices, a hint of maple sugar, pear fruit in there as well. The mouthfeel is all mature Alsace, depth and such “colour” on the tastebuds—tingly yet gentle. Just very, very good. #4
1988 Schloss Schonborn Johannisberger Klaus Riesling Spatlese
Neat sugared apple bouquet, sort of prim and proper. Extremely tasty, balanced with apple pie and glides very elegantly down the throat. A nice showing.
2006 Chateau Grillet
Joel opened this and the next one for us. Hazelnut and honeycomb are my aromatic impression. Still jumping around some and on the tongue, this is still pretty strict–snappy front and back. It has honey and flowers and quince, but needs more time.
1990 Joblot Givry 1er Cru Clos de la Servoisine
This was a special treat for me–I’ve never had a Givry remotely this old. The sniffs take you right to the middle of a forest, with chestnuts and dark berry fruit in play as well. Wow. Silky and spiny at the same time, and gorgeous pur cherry and strawberry fruit. It loves the duck dish and I love this wine. My #2 this evening goes to this “humble” Givry.
Joel then served us a perplexing blind. On the nose, I seem to get vanilla, some peach and—Trip makes a great catch here—a sense of white rum. On the palate, also has this canned peach thing going on, yet fresh and fairly vibrant. I really had trouble locating this, though was wanting to think about something Rhone. Good reason why it was hard to pin down. Brace yourselves for the 2004 Grace Vineyard Chardonnay from…CHINA. What a wonderful surprise, this is quite enjoyable and made a great blind—thanks Joel!
2009 Antica Terra PN
An Oregon producer I have not tried. Woodsy and cocoa and currant fruit underneath. Does have bigness here, plenty of fruit and a little hot for my liking, though it’s listed at only 13.5%
2001 Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgengarten Riesling Spatlese
I have a weakness for Muller-Cat anyway, but this bring by Nick was very special. Nicely aromatic with bits of smoke interweaving with tropical fruit. And wow–OMG–this just explodes on the palate with citrus, apricot, pineapple, kiwi and such acidity and freshness. It’s a spectacular wine that may sneak into the WOTY discussion. WOTN for me.
2002 Donhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese
This does show some petrol and bits of apple in the bouquet. Le gout is very sweet and still light but also with intensity, captured the feel of the vintage for sure. It can probably go out even a little further.
1990 Christoffel Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese
I think Fred brought this one and even with time in the glass, a reticent nose. In the mouth, it’s tasty and it’s solid, straightforward drink with apple and a tinge of citrus.
2001 Usseglio Cuvee Imperiale CdP
I only had a quick sniff and taste of this, there were ripe plums and red fruit and also a little meaty here and it was plenty rich in the mouth, but with the elements of Grenache poking through that I’m not fond of. Good as a wine, just not my cuppa
1994 Zind-Humbrecht Heimbourg VT
Very nice treat here, rather seductive scents with gingerbread, custard and vanilla all swirling around. That’s awesome—all the things you want in older sweet Alsace–carry, pineapple-edging, lime, baking spices. A lot going on. #5.
I didn’t taste my other bring, the 2002 Daniel Lenko Viognier Icewine, but everyone seemed to enjoy it, especially our host Steve.
I have to give a huge, huge thank you to Randy Katz for doing legion work in organizing so much of these past 3 days. I also thank the posse for coming out and especially my very good friend Nick for making the drive down from Raleigh-Durham to join us.
Haere Ra,
Mike
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